Merkel Slams Ukraine Separatist Ballot, Says May 25 Vote Crucial

May 13 (Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Angela Merkel dismissed
separatist referendums in Ukraine and called on all groups in
the former Soviet republic and Russia to ensure that the
presidential election scheduled for May 25 takes place.

“The referendum is illegal, so the result doesn’t interest
me very much,” Merkel told reporters today in Berlin, as
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde
warned that the Russian economy would face further pressure if
the conflict in Ukraine isn’t resolved.

Merkel invoked her push to hold round-table meetings
between authorities and civil society groups in an effort to
calm tension ahead of the Ukraine vote. All efforts must be
undertaken to guarantee the election, Merkel said.

“Everybody is called on to contribute to this, also
Russia,” the chancellor said after a meeting with Lagarde and
four other leaders of international organizations. “Violence
cannot be used as a way to resolve these problems.”

The Ukraine conflict deteriorated today as insurgents
killed seven Ukrainian soldiers and wounded eight others in an
ambush near an eastern rebel-held stronghold. German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier took the initiative on
diplomatic efforts, visiting Kiev and Odessa today in an attempt
to broker talks between the government and separatists.

After the IMF lowered its forecasts for Russian growth to
0.2 percent this year and 1 percent in 2015, Lagarde said that
the outlook could “clearly deteriorate,” since the current
assessment assumes the conflict will be resolved.

The IMF chief said the $17 billion pledged to Ukraine is
“clearly not enough,” and the country will need the $15
billion in loans pledged by other international organizations.

“We very much hope that every party concerned, including
Russia, will participate in supporting this economic
stabilization,” Lagarde said in Berlin.

In addition to Lagarde, Merkel also met with OECD Secretary
General Angel Gurria, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, World
Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevedo and
International Labor Organization Director-General Guy Ryder.